From Horror Movie To Horror Comic: Predator 2 (1990)

Posted on March 12, 2025 by bloodlinematt

Welcome back to Rotten Ink and to another “From Horror Movie To Horror Comic” update as this is one that has been on my list to cover for a while now as it is a film that I grew up a fan of and even had these comics shortly after it was released in my collection. The topic is Predator 2, the cool sequel that takes our alien hunter out of the jungle and into the concrete jungle of a big city! And in this one he takes on a strong willed cop and not a mercenary. Predator 2 is one of those films that got a comic that could have also been covered on a “Alien Invasion” update, but I feel it’s more fitting for a “From Horror Movie To Horror Comic” on as this film brings on the kills, blood and scares as The Predator stalks the streets and makes anyone armed the prey, and that means good guys and not just the bad guys! So if you are ready, let’s head out into the city heat and not only avoid the everyday criminals but also one that has came from outer space and wants to collect skulls as trophies.

Let’s take a look at The Predator from Predator 2 ,and his ways of dealing death to those he is hunting! The Predator is a massive alien from outer space who is using the city of LA, California as his hunting ground and he has the means and weapons to make many people dead. First he has the ability to cloak and become invisible to the human eye, making it possible for him to stalk and kill you without even seeing him. And when you do see him, his massive monstrous appearance strikes fear into the hearts of those unlucky to lay eyes on him as he is one ugly creature. He also is very smart and wears armor and a helmet with the helmet making him able to see body heat, bright lights as well as mimic the voices of humans, making his helmet a very important part of his arsenal. The weapons he has are his arm blades, two razor sharp blades that are on his wrist that can shred human skin and cut through bone, Combistick a spear with a blade at the end of it, Netgun a gun that fires a net at high speed that can capture as well as kill as it cuts through skin, Energy Flechette a missile that he can fire from his wrist, Smart Disc a circle blade weapon that he can throw and it finds its target can cut a person in half, Self-Destruct Device that he wears on his write that once activated and goes off is like a mini nuclear bomb, and finally he also has his Plasmacaster a shoulder cannon that locks on a target and can blow a massive hole through them. As you can see, his weapons are all tools to kill and can make short work out of almost all he comes across. The Predator stands well over 7 feet tall and is also very strong as he can kill a person with his bare hands in seconds; he is also skilled at hunting and messing with his prey in other words The Predator is one mean killing machine who if he wants you dead…you are. While the Predator is an alien, he can be hurt and killed like any other living being as guns, sharp objects, extreme cold and falls can kill or injure him and make his green blood spill. His pride in hunting can also do him in as even when hurt his passion to keep going kicks in and can cause him to make some mistakes that could lead to his death. But while he has weaknesses luck is the only thing that will help you if you come face to face with The Predator as he is one dangerous killer and is one of the more dangerous killers we have showcased on a From Horror Movie To Horror Comic update.

So now that we looked at The Predator from the second film in the series, I think it’s now time that we take a look at the film itself. I would like to remind you that I will be taking the film’s write up from our friends at IMDB and then will write about the film’s production as well as my thoughts. So let’s try and avoid being hunted and chat about Predator 2.

Predator 2 (1990)

“LAPD lieutenant Mike Harrigan and his cocky detective partner Jerry Lambert (soon realize that what seemed a bloody feud between voodoo high priest King Willie’s Jamaican gangs and Ramon Vega’s Colombian drug gang is actually the work of a scary third party. Peter Keyes’s federal team shields the crime scene even for the LAPD, but after forensics proves it must be an alien, who keeps making victims, the chase brings them all together.”

The 1987 film Predator was a big hit for 20^th Century Fox and this sparked them having interest in doing a sequel and had screenwriters Jim & John Thomas to come up with ideas and after many failed pitches it was the idea of having The Predator hunting in a urban setting that got the green light. The producer of the film was Joel Silver and his first action was to bring Stephen Hopkins to direct, and he worked closely with the Thomas Brothers to try and get the film as epic as they could, and Hopkins was no stranger to horror as in 1989 he was the director for “A Nightmare On Elm Street 5: The Dream Child” and he was a good choice to helm this film. When casting the lead role of Lieutenant Mike Harrigan names like Steven Seagal and Patrick Swayze was brought up but Danny Glover ended up with the role, others actors brought in for key parts included Gary Busey, Bill Paxton, Maria Conchita Alonso, Adam Baldwin, Ruben Blades and Robert Davi and Kevin Peter Hall returned to play The Predator and in small cameo rolls was TV talk show host Morton Downey Jr. and adult film actress Teri Weigel. And while Arnold Schwarzenegger was supposed to return as Dutch, a pay dispute seen him leaving the film but Elpidia Carrillo returned in a very small cameo as Anna Gonsalves from the first film. The look and suit of The Predator had some minor changes and they even made the decision to have a skull from a Xenomorph as s set piece. The film has a normal stressful production and was released in theaters on November 21, 1990 and did well at the box office in American brining in $30,669,413.00 on a budget of around $20 million, placing in at # 38 for the year and beat out such other Horror Films as Child’s Play 2, Jacob’s Ladder, The Exorcist III, The First Power, The Guardian, Tales From The Darkside The Movie and Tremors. The film was also scored by Alan Silvestri and is a great follow up to the original and over the years has built up a cult following.

I am going to say this first thing I am a fan of Predator 2 and have been since it was released and behind the original film, it is my second favorite in the series! I had not only the film on VHS but also had the comic adaptation, the novel adaptation and had the video game for the Sega Genesis and I have never understood why this film over the years has gotten so much hate from critics and fans of the series. The film has an amazing cast with Danny Glover being fantastic as the badass cop Lieutenant Harrigan who is a great hero for as he really goes after and takes the fight to the Predator. I also like his fellow officers and team Danny Boy, Leona and Jerry as they all make such a great team and are played by some topnotch actors Ruben Blades, Maria Conchita Alonso and Bill Paxton. Plus it stars Gary Busey who was an actor I liked at the time and before he truly became all crazy and touchy to female fans at Horror and Comic Conventions. Plus I really liked that the second film took The Predator out of the jungle and dropped him into a big city and having it take place during a heat wave was a smart move as the hot climate mirrored the jungle, and doing like this made it not seem like a rehash of the first film. I also think that the film had some really cool and impactful kills as the deaths of both Jerry and Danny Boy are sad and the brutal killings of the drug pushers have you cheering as the Predator shows no mercy. Also the film is very quotable as I cannot count how many times I have done the speech given by one of King Willies men to one of their victims about voodoo and taking souls. It’s truly a great line, and I have also done the “Want Some Candy” line with a robotic sounding voice. The film when released as well I can remember the TV ads, the poster in the paper for screening times at the local theaters as well as it being on the cover and covered in Fangoria Magazine. Again to sum it up, I am a fan of Predator 2 and do not understand the hate the film gets and I think that if you are one of those who hate it and have not watched it in awhile, go back and re-watch it and remove the “its not like the first film” from your mind and I think you just might enjoy it.

So now that we have talked about The Predator as well as the film Predator 2, I think we are now at the point of this update that we review the comic based around said film! And to be honest, this is one that I have had on the list of comics that I wanted to do an update about and it has taken me way too long to get to it so I am really glad that the time has come for me to do so. I want to thank Mavericks Cards And Comics for having these comics in stock and making this update possible. I want to also remind you all that I grade these comics on a star scale of 1 to 4 and am looking for how well the comics stay to the source material, their entertainment value and their art and story. So if you are ready, let’s head to L.A. as I hear they are having a bad heat wave and that The Predator has returned as he really has developed a taste for fresh beef straight out of the slaughterhouse here on Earth.

Predator 2 # 1 ***
Released in 1991 Cover Price $2.50 Dark Horse # 1 of 2

The year is 1997 and with the temperature reaching 109 degrees, a shoot out between the cops and some of the El Scorpios drug gang has broken out in the street leaving a cop bleeding to death and both sides exchanging gunfire. But when Lieutenant Harrigan shows up he is able to use his own car as a battering ram and gets the officers a chance to save the dying officer as well as take out a few of the gangs members. But Harrigan and his team that consists of Danny Boy and Leona are told to stay out of the building that the rest of the gang is hiding in as a special unit team has been called in, but Harrigan and his men don’t listen and go in and end up finding the bodies of many of the gangsters as they have been slaughtered and one member even falls from the roof to his death after seeing the outline of The Predator who was in the building and killed all the gang members. Back at the station Harrigan and his men are in trouble for disobeying orders, learns that a Federal Task Force has been called in to tackle the drug war and it will be run by an Agent Peter Keyes and he also gets a new part of his team with Jerry Lambert. Later that night the Predator attacks a group of the rival gangs member that are lead by King Willie who is a voodoo priest, and once more Harrigan and his men don’t listen to orders and get in big trouble when after Danny Boy is killed while looking into the murder scene. And Keyes and his men threaten Harrigan if he keeps interfering in their crime scenes. But after Danny’s funeral, Harrigan is on a personal mission to find the killer and even lets Keye’s know that his words mean nothing to him as Leona and Jerry stay with Harrigan and come up with a plan to find out who Keyes really is, what he knows about this killer on the loose and to find and track said killer to pay him back for taking out their fellow officer and friend. Later that night Harrigan meets with the drug lord King Willie to find out if he knows who this killer of his men as well as all the others is, and Willie tells him that the killer is from the other side before they part ways. The Predator then comes for Willie and ends the voodoo man’s life.

This is really a fun read, and if you are a fan of Predator 2 like I am this comic adaptation does the film justice as well as adds its own touch to the story as it takes away element from the film in order to speed up the story and make it fit into two issues. Like while much of the violence is around it is not as bloody as the film, the comic also has the events pretty much taken from the side of Harrigan as he acts as the narrator and moves the story along and moments that are cut from the panels are showcased in his words. The one part that I wish that was not cut from the story so much was Jerry Lambert joining the team as in the film it’s a really cool scene as they all kind of bust his balls, but in the comic he just kind of joins. The plot is very simple and has the city of L.A. in big trouble as a drug war is going on and the temperature is so high that tempers are out of control, and worse the cops are now having to find a killer who is killing people on all sides and that means the drug dealers as well as the officers…and things get worse when the government send a team in to take control and they are full of secrets and are hiding the truth from the cops. Lieutenant Harrigan is the hero of our story and is a cop who does not take crap from anyone, he breaks the rules all the time but it cause he wants to bring down the bad guys and do his job right and that is to serve and protect the innocent as well as watch the backs of his fellow officers. He is super skilled when it comes to shooting and his never back down attitude is what makes him the target of The Predator as he see’s Harrigan as the ultimate hunt in L.A. and he ain’t wrong. Harrigan’s team are much like him great cops who break the rules but get the job done and they are all very great characters and make a great team as Danny Boy, Leona and Jerry are the kind of partners you would want on your side if you were a cop. Keyes and his team are slimey as they threaten and use intimidation to try and get people to fall in line to what they want them to do. And while the feuding drug pushers are around they are a non-factor once The Predator enters the city as he makes quick work of them all including King Willie, who is a very powerful boss as well as a voodoo priest. I do wish that the comic was a little more bloody but I do think fans of the red stuff will not be let down by this comic. The cover is pretty cool and is a still from the movie and shows The Predator in all his glory, and the interior artwork is done by Dan Barry and is great stuff as he was working on many of Dark Horse Comics Predator series around this time. This is a great read and leaves us on the cliffhanger of King Willie being killed by the alien hunter, and makes me want to see what the second issue has in store.

Predator 2 # 2 ***
Released in 1991 Cover Price $2.50 Dark Horse # 2 of 2

Lieutenant Harrigan is visiting the grave of his friend Danny Boy when he finds apart of his friends necklace hanging from the tree and he knows that the killer is playing games with him. Once back at the station Harrigan meets up with Leona and Jerry who he tells to take the subway towards the slaughterhouse as a tip found on the body of Danny Boy leads them to the killer might be using it as a hideout and at one point Jerry confirms that while tracking Keyes he lost him around that area. But while on the train the Predator attacks and kills many of the civilians as well as kills Jerry and steals his skull as a trophy. And the Predator only let Leona live because she was pregnant, but when Harrigan arrives on the scene he see’s the Predator and gives chase for the alien through the streets of L.A. but losses him. As Harrigan keeps tracking The Predator he runs into Keyes and his men who finally inform the officer that the killer he is looking for is an alien who is the ultimate hunter and he is killing people in the city due to the high heat and the high crime rate as this is the perfect hunting ground for him. Harrigan then watches and Keyes and some of his men head into the slaughter house with the idea to capture the Predator in order to study its technology…they fail and are all killed by him. But Harrigan once more goes after the Predator and even is able to cut off one of the aliens hands! Harrigan tracks the Predator to his own ship and the two have a final showdown and Harrigan is able to kill it with his own Smart Disc, and as the Predator dies more of his kind appear on the ship and take their fallen friend away as one gives Harrigan a dueling pistol and allows him to leave the ship alive. The Predator’s ship takes off back to space as Harrigan looks to the sky and knows that they will return someday.

The second issue in this adaptation of Predator 2 does the film justice as well and is a great read for fans of the film as the plot of this second issue has Harrigan and the remaining members of his team going on the hunt for the one who killed their friend only for them to be the ones being hunted and Harrigan must come face to face with The Predator and have a showdown that will leave only one of them alive and the alien hunter learns he messed with the wrong cop! Lieutenant Harrigan in this issue has had enough as he totally goes against orders and even stands up to Keyes and his men letting them know that they don’t scare him and that he will do what he has to do to bring down the killer, and he does just that as even after finding out the killer is a massive alien he still goes after it full force and is able to cut the alien down to size using the hunters own weapon to end it’s life! Poor Jerry ends up getting killed in this issue and his skull and spine removed as Leona is left alive but is very much left in shock on what she has seen. The Predator himself is very skilled and also a little cruel as he seems to enjoy trying to bait and anger Harrigan throughout as he leaves Danny Boy’s necklace for Harrigan to find as well as removes Jerry’s skull right in front of him, but while The Predator is skilled I think he was also a little to cocky and that is why he ends up getting taken down in the end. Keyes and his men as well are way to cocky and think that they can just freeze and capture the Predator and they learn very quickly they are out skilled and out smarted and are left as dead as the meat hanging in the slaughterhouse! The second issue has some blood and cool kills and I have to say both human and alien blood is spilled. The cover for this issue as well is a still from the movie and is pretty great as its one of the most iconic images from the film, and like before Dan Barry is the interior artist and his work is great stuff and has the early Dark Horse Comics style and those who grew up reading such comics as Terminator, Pumpkinhead and Aliens from them will know what I mean. This is a very cool adaptation and while as I said moments from the film are missing or are condensed down it still is a very solid read and one I enjoyed back then and still do now. Checkout the artwork below to see they style of Dan Barry as I really do like the way he draws The Predator. Oh and I should also say for those wondering, the characters in the comic do not look like the actors from the film so those wanting to see Danny Glover, Gary Busey and Bill Paxton might be a little disappointed.

The film Predator 2 made for a great comic adaptation as the film is filled with lots of action and some great kills that are just perfect for pages in a comic book. The one thing is the first film from 1987 never did get the comic book treatment and that’s crazy as it really should have, as imagine seeing a drawn Dutch doing battle against the Predator in the jungle…that would have been awesome. And what is cool for fans of the Predator films is that over the years many different comic series have been made featuring them, and while Dark Horse Comics has the most released, even Marvel Comics more recently has released some issues. But as you can see, this “From Horror Movie To Horror Comic” update has come to an end as we have survived the heat as well as the Predator, and I think that it’s time for me to tell you that our next update will take us to the Rotten Ink Arena as we take a look at another Indie Luchador File! So until next time, read a horror comic or three, watch a horror film or two and as always support your local Horror Host! See you next update as this Luchador was a true legend on the indies and really likes the color Blue!

From Horror Movie To Horror Comic: The Mummy Returns (2001)

Posted on March 13, 2022 by bloodlinematt

Welcome back to Rotten Ink and this Blogs 10 Year Anniversary and this update will be a “From Horror Movie To Horror Comic” update and is one that I have been thinking about doing for a very long tome and that’s The Mummy’s Return and the comic book from Chaos Comics that goes along with it called “Valley Of The Gods”! The Mummy Returns was the sequel to the super popular 1999 Action Horror Film The Mummy that spawned a franchise as well as a spin off franchise and even got not only the comic book treatment but also the video game kind. So with that lets head into the world of The Mummy Returns and talk about this Action Horror Film that is still to this day loved by its fans, so lets see what this Mummy has in for us in scares as well as ways to deal death.

Let’s start off by taking a look at Imhotep the supernatural Mummy Priest from this film series. Imhotep was a priest who was mummified and entombed alive after he had fallen in love with the Queen that lead to the murder of the King. Once brought back to life by an Egyptian Cult he is as mean and angry as ever. Imhotep has many powers that can deal death to humans with first being that he has an army of undead guards as well as cult members who will do his bidding and have no issues taking a life using knives, swords, staffs and even guns. Imhotep can also control the elements around him causing sand to bend and act to his will as well as water and these powers can cause serious damage to a person as they could drown or even be ripped to shreds by both. Imhotep also eats the life force from his enemies and this causes his undead skin to come back alive and as well can turn him human again. His rotting appearance as well is a great tool in his favor as is strikes fear and shock into the hearts of those who see him and leave them open for his attack. Imhotep is also very skilled in fighting in both hand and weapon and is very tricky causing him to be a foe one would not want to face. He is also a lair and will use false promises as well as lies to enemies to get things in his favor. But while Imhotep is powerful he does have weaknesses as when he is made flesh and blood again he can be killed like any other normal man, he also even as the undead Mummy can be killed via the spirits of the dead. Imhotep also has a very big ego that can lead him into being defeated and make mistakes. Say what you will but Imhotep is a very dangerous and an evil force of nature that ranks up there when it comes to dealing death to mortals.

So now that we have talked about Imhotep, we should talk about the second film in the remake series. So the films write up will be taking from our friends at IMDB and I will write a little about the films production as well as my thoughts of the film. So let’s get to The Mummy Returns and chat about this 2001 Adventure Horror Film with a twist of Comedy.

The Mummy Returns (2001)

“Many years ago, in Ancient Egypt, the Scorpion King led a menacing army, but when he sold his soul to Anubis, he was erased from history. Now he is only a myth…or is he? Rick and Evelyn O’Connell are still discovering new artifacts, along with their 8-year-old son Alex. They discover the Bracelet of Anubis. But someone else is after the bracelet. High Priest Imhotep has been brought back from the dead once again and wants the bracelet, to control the Scorpion King’s army. That’s not the only problem. Imhotep now has Alex and with the bracelet attached to him, doesn’t have long to live.”

Universal was ridding high when the 1999 remake to the 1932 monster film The Mummy did well at the box office as well as was loved by critics and fans causing them to want to rush a sequel to the silver screen while people were still very much into the adventure themed horror film and it was fresh in their minds so with Stephen Sommers returning to write and direct the film they were able to get the original cast Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, John Hannah, Patricia Velasquez, Oded Fehr and Arnold Vosloo to comeback for the sequel and new names like Freddie Boath, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Alun Armstrong and more joined the cast. The production was your normal big production and was highly stressful and lots of stunts and later effects had to be added to make the film have that Horror Adventure feel that made the first film special. Some issues during production were The Rock getting food poisoning and the most serious being that Brendan Fraser suffered several injuries that plagued him for years. Once done Alan Silvestri was brought in to score the film and did a great job as his work helps bring the film alive. The film was released on May 4, 2001 and was meet with mix reviews from critics and was looked at more fondly by fans. The film would bring in $433,013,274.00 worldwide and was the # 6 grossing film at the US Box Office that year. The year it was released it beat out other Horror and Sci-Fi films like Jurassic Park III, Planet Of The Apes, Hannibal, The Others, Along Came A Spider, Scary Movie 2, Thir13en Ghosts, Jeepers Creepers, From Hell, Ghost Of Mars and Bones to name a few. The film would be released on VHS, DVD, Blu-Ray and Digital over the years and remains a popular film for fans of the Horror Adventure Film genre.

The Mummy Returns was a film that when released I judged way to hard as like the first film I felt that they took the Horror out of a classic Universal Monster and I was in full swing of protesting the film and not seeing it and even refused to for a very long while, and the crazy part is I went to the theater and seen “The Scorpion King” from 2002 a spin-off from Mummy Returns with my brother Bryan and our friend Andy Copp. Over the years I can remember seeing bits and pieces of the film at friends houses as they would pop in the VHS and DVD at parties and get togethers and I never paid it any attention, as I was still being a royal classic monster snob. And let’s be honest when already judging the film and seeing that cheesy CGI version of The Scorpion King from the film it was easy to dismiss the film as being bad. I worked at Blockbuster Video at the time as well and customers and my fellow employees when it was released on home media tried to get me to watch it, and I refused as again I was being a snob. It took many, many years before I truly gave the film a chance as well as the other films in the series and I have to say that I was foolish for judging these films so harsh as they are fun, fantastic films that while very different from the classic Universal The Mummy series they added their own touch and delivered films that brought some chills, laughs and high adventure. And for the time you have think the digital effects where considered good and while dated now they were state of the art back then. The film was super well casted and this also was the films that introduced me to actress Rachel Weisz who could be one of the most beautiful women in Hollywood to this day. To sum it up Mummy Returns is a great sequel to a great Adventure Horror film series that I was wrong about for many years and am glad that I gave it a chance, as it really is a film I enjoy watching.

So with that brief history lesson of The Mummy Returns and the killing ways of Imhotep we should now get to the comic review that was made possible by Bell, Book And Comic who had the comic in stock. I also would like to remind you readers that I grade these comics on a star scale of 1 to 4 and am looking for how well the comics stay to the source material, it’s entertainment value and it’s art and story. So with that lets head out with the O’Connell’s and dodge the wrath of The Mummy!

Mummy: Valley Of The Gods # 1 *1/2
Released in 2001 Cover Price $2.99 Chaos! # 1 of 1

Professor Winter and his crew are in a tomb and are being lead by Ardeth Bay as they have already sent the Orb Of Destiny a relic to Rick and Evelyn O’Connell and that was a big mistake as they open a tomb evil soul eating animal spirits escape and they all have to run for their lives, but some of the crew are not that lucky and meet their fates. Meanwhile Rick is having a nightmare about the Scorpion King killing Evelyn when the phone rings and its Professor Winter asking them to come to Egypt and to please bring the Orb back with them. Once our heroes get back to Egypt they are greeted by Jonathan who is Evelyn’s brother, and they have dinner and catch up on what has been going on in their lives and the next morning they fly to the dig site location. And it comes out that Evelyn use to have a big crush on Professor Winter and this makes Rick a little uncomfortable on learning this but trusts in the love he and his wife have for each other. Once inside the tomb our team of Rick, Evelyn, Winter, Jonathan and Ardeth Bay are attacked by the weird spirit animals again and they are forced to try and shoot them to save their lives, but bullets are not working! Finally Rick picks up a stone tablet and is about to throw it at the spirits when the tablet turns out to be a map that sends the spirits packing as it has magical powers. The map says that it leads to a unknown place called the Valley Of The Gods and they all rush to the location only to find sand and two giant undead warriors who want them all dead.

I first need to say that this comic does not capture the characters nor the vibe of the films its based on at all and feels like a very generic story with very generic characters as Rick & Evelyn in this comic act nothing like they should, and there is barely any adventure or horror elements taking place in this first issue that does a very bad job of wanting readers to return for a second issue that never came, and I am guessing it never came due to the fact this first issue sold so poorly via word of mouth. The plot is about the Orb Of Destiny and a hidden Valley that is said to be the place of Gods and the O’Connell’s go to find what treasures and history awaits them, but instead find two angry undead giants and spirits of animals that eat souls. Rick O’Connell is our hero who is plagued with nightmares about his wife being killed, is worried about his wives old crush and somehow falls backwards into being the one who sends the spirits away as well as find a hidden map. Over all Rick is just very basic in being a hero and he lacks the charm and goofy nature the character has in the films. Evelyn is a strong willed woman who knows she can do whatever her husband can do, but also her character is all wrong as is her brother Jonathans and Ardeth Bay’s as they all just seem off and bland. Professor Winter is a man who clearly does not care about safety of his crew as he really just wants to uncover what the tombs have in treasures and if evil spirits attack its ok as long as he uncovers stuff, he also is very flirty with Evelyn and he knows she is married. The bad guys of the comic are the evil animal spirits that attack a person’s soul and two undead giants who do nothing as they only show up on the last page. The comic has zero blood, only one death and packs very little spooky moments and the worse sin zero appearances by Imhotep but we are treated to the Scorpion King…yeah. The cover is ok and is eye catching for the time it was released, and the interior art by Matt Broome and is ok but also does not look like the actors that play the characters in the film with them all really looking like generic muscle heroes from say a comic series like Gen 13 and has a pure 90’s look in their designs. Over all this is a very lackluster Adventure Horror Comic that does a very poor job of capturing the mood and feel of the films, and with that checkout the art below to see the style of Broome.

The Mummy: Valley Of The Gods was a comic series that was supposed to last a total of three issues and was cancelled after only one as if truly failed the readers as well as to capture the eye of fans of The Mummy Return. And I have to say while this is not one of the better comics he have read and reviewed on a “From Horror Movie To Horror Comic” it is one you should checkout yourself and see what you think. Well for the next update we are leaving the Tombs of Egypt and will be heading to a farm as we chat about U.S. Acres a very cool comic strip by Jim Davis. So until next time read a Horror Comic or three, watch a Horror Movie or two and as always support your local Horror Host. And hope you are ready to spend some time with Orson and his friends down on the farm like I am.

Alien Invasion…The Predator

Posted on April 21, 2014 by bloodlinematt

Welcome back to Rotten Ink. In this update we are going to take a look at aliens, you know, little green or grey men who travel around in outer space and beam us aboard their ships to be studied. I am going to review Dark Horse Comics first 4 issue mini series based on the film Predator; we will also break down Predator in film, video games and other media. But before we get into the ultimate hunter, we will take a look at Roswell, New Mexico and the 1947 UFO crash, and we will also talk about that mystery place known as Area 51 said to be where the government hides the UFO and aliens! So watch the skies and get your tin foil hat ready, ’cause we are going deep into space and looking for the truth about aliens!

In 1947, a U.F.O fell from the sky and crashed on a ranch in Roswell New Mexico. The flying saucer was banged up pretty bad when the ranch foreman William Brazel found the wreckage, and he and his son, not thinking much of it, cleared the debris. They only told of the wreckage after reports of a flying saucer being seen in the area and thought that what they cleaned up might just be that. Now here is where it all gets sticky, and many different reports and stories go around about it. What Brazel “found” was something made of paper and tough plastic or so it was said. Other stories claim that it was a full fledged spacecraft complete with bodies of aliens that had died from the impact. It’s said that the spacecraft and the bodies were shipped to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base for study and that Hanger 18 is where they remain even to this day. The Air Force’s statement was that the wreckage was from a weather balloon that had crashed and was nothing for the public to worry about. Years later it was also reported that the wreckage was really a spy plane sent over from Russia that was shot down. The mystery of this event had made it the stuff of legend, and everyone who has ever looked into the event has a theory on what and how it came to be. I for one can see both sides; I can see it truly being a weather balloon that came crashing down, and in 1947 I am sure the sight of these balloons was not common at all. I could also see it being a Russian spy plane. At the time we were having a “Red Scare,” and both they and us wanted to get dirt and intel on the other side. But I can also REALLY see that if it was in fact a ship from outer space driven by little grey men, our government would indeed keep this info from us and study them to learn from what they know…so what do you readers think…was it a weather balloon? Was it a Russian spy plane? Or was it a U.F.O straight from outer space?

Nevada is the home of many great things such as Las Vegas, birth place to actresses like Dawn Wells, Jenny Lewis and Jenna Jameson and even Horror Host Zomboo but it also is the home of one of the world’s most puzzling places, a place that “doesn’t” exist according to our government. That place is Area 51! Not much is really known about this place but many stories are told of unknown planes in the sky around it, odd sounds and even claims that aliens work alongside humans inside its guarded walls. What is known is that you can’t cross a line on the ground and in the sky, and that the guards around the area have the right to shoot you dead. You can’t even takes photos of the area! So what is this place really? Many people say that it’s where the Air Force tests its new planes and drones and it’s all very top secret so the new weapons to keep us safe don’t fall into the hands of the wrong people. Others think that it’s a place where the government keeps aliens and makes contact with other worlds in order to get ideas for new technology. One thing is for sure, Area 51 is one big mystery that many Americans would love to find out it’s secrets, and who knows maybe someday we will. But it does make you wonder if they do have aliens there, are they willing guests or are they being held captive? Are they smart and nice or are they mean spirited and power hungry? I for one hope they are nice and are guests if they are indeed at Area 51.

Coast To Cast AM is one heck of a great radio program for those of us who like the unknown and conspiracies. From the start of the show you know you’re in for a treat as the theme for the film and the old NWA Wrestling Tag Team, The Midnight Express starts playing and your current host George Noory welcomes you to the show. I first heard of the radio show thanks to a co-worker at Blockbuster Video. I worked a lot of closes at the video rental store, and some nights before going home I would drive around the back roads of the countryside listening to music and unwinding from the long day, and they suggested that oe night I give Coast to Coast a listen because they knew I was into Bigfoot, werewolves, aliens and such. That night I gave it a listen and was hooked ever since. Back when I first heard it, the host was Art Bell who was hosting on the weekends and was the founder of this cool show. One episode of this show that has become the subject of many discussions is the one that focused on Area 51 where one of the call-in lines was for current or past employees of 51, and after a number of calls he got one that chilled the blood of many listeners and triggered a black out of the radio signal. The caller was a man who was in a panic and was a past employee who had been let go on a medical discharge. The man claimed he was fleeing from some unknown trackers; while on the phone he spilled his guts on what Area 51 really is. He claimed that it’s filled with inter-dimensional beings who are directly involved in our military and know about some major natural disaster events that are coming and will not warn us because they want many of the world’s population to be wiped out so that the ones of us around can be more easy to control. During the call the man gets more upset and more scared sounding and as he is telling us the listeners more, it sounds as if he has been found by his unknown stalkers and poof, the satellite that hosts Coast To Coast AM goes offline and the callers final words the listeners never get to hear. The show is off the air for over 2 minutes before coming back live, and Art seems puzzled and at a loss as he says that the man on the phone screamed and it sounded like a gun shot before the line went dead, and that the odd part of the satellite going down was it focused in the part that broadcasted his show! Callers after seemed to be bothered by the frantic call as past “employees” of Area 51 called in and claimed that no one will ever hear from that guy again. Now this call has been proven real and proven fake by many and is 100% up for you to make your own judgement. The first time I heard it, my skin crawled and thoughts about turning it into a movie crossed my mind. I for one think that there might be some truths to what he is saying about there being beings from another dimension here on Earth with us now. Some time later a caller called in and claimed to be the Frantic Caller and said his call was a hoax and that when the show went off the air he himself got scared and thought he might have been onto something with his fake story. Many think that this caller was the frantic caller, while once more others think the second caller was the hoaxer. So have you heard the call made to Art Bell? Do you think the call was real? Was it a hoax? No one will know for sure and it will remain a mystery just like Roswell and Area 51 itself.

If aliens are out there in space or even already here on Earth, Hollywood has taught us one thing, and that’s alien chicks are Hot!! Star Trek showed us green girls are sexy; Mars Attack showed us they can wear masks to make themselves stunning, and even genetic put together aliens like Sil from Species are knock outs. So here is to you, hot Hollywood alien women, for making the unknown sexy!

So you have gotten some brief history and thoughts on Area 51 and the crash at Roswell New Mexico; now it’s time to give you a little background on this update’s star, the Predator! Not much is really known about the Predators as we humans don’t even know what planet or universe they even come from. Such names as “Hish” and “Yautja” have been given to their race, but these are just names given to them by humans trying to place a label on them. Things we do know about them are this: 1^st they can travel through space and seem to have very powerful ships, 2^nd they have amazing weapons that are far more powerful than ours from stealth suits to an awesome shoulder cannon. They have the means to make things dead. 3^rd they are very strong and have more strength than a human body builder making them a hard fight to go fist to fist with, 4^th they love hot summers and heat, and lastly they are hunters and love to collect trophies (skulls) from the prey they hunt. The Predators have also fought with the Xenomorphs and have collected humans and other alien species to drop into a wooded planet to use as practice! While not much is known, one thing is for sure you don’t want to mess with a Predator!

Predator hit theaters in 1987 and is about Major Alan “Dutch” Schaefer (Arnold Schwarzenegger) and his group of commandos who go to the jungles of South America on a bogus mission set up by George Dillon (Carl Weathers) who really wants them in the jungle to find a pod that fell from space! Dutch and his men soon find out that they are not alone as an unknown attacker is hunting and killing them one by one. Who will make it out of the jungle alive and can any of these hardened war hounds stand a chance against the Predator! Growing up I saw this film on HBO when my Dad let me and my brother watch it one late night. From the moment it started I loved it. I was glued to the action and suspense of the hunt. For days I wished that they had made action figures of this film so I could have The Predator hunt the likes of Snake Eyes and Han Solo. I bought the novel movie adaptation of the film from Half Price Books and was all about The Predator. The film did well at the box office with a gross of $98,267,558.00 worldwide. One of the best sci-fi films of the 80’s in my opinion, and with a creature design by Stan Winston Studio’s you know the film is quality.

1990 saw a sequel simply called Predator 2 hit the theaters, and this time around it’s taken out of the jungle and into the hot streets of LA. during a turf war over drug sales. Lieutenant Michael Harrigan (Danny Glover) is a good cop who along with his team are stuck in the middle of the war on drugs during a major heat wave and to make things worse something is killing both cartels as well as the cops themselves! And when one of his own cops is murdered and creepy Special Agent Peter Keyes (Gary Busey) has his agents take over the case, Harrigan must take the law into his own hands and find the truth of the murders. He ain’t going to like what he sees when it’s hunting season again, and a Predator is loose in the city! The sequel is good but not nearly as cool as the original, and I will say that I also went out and bought the novel adaptation of this film as well. The sequel made $57,120,318.00 gross at the worldwide box office, making it a solid money maker for Fox.

While The Predator shared the screen with the Aliens in two AVP films, it was not till 2010’s film Predators that we were treated to the third film in the series. In this film, a group of people wake up falling from the sky into a jungle like place; each of them comes from a different part of the world and they come from all walks of life, but all of them have some sort of violent past. Before they know it, they find out that they are no longer on Earth and are on some planet where they are being hunted like dogs by none other than The Predators! Twists and turns and lots of fighting to stay alive makes up this fun action film that brought in a gross of $127,233,108.00 world wide at the box office. I saw this film in the theater and loved it. It stars Adrien Brody, Topher Grace, Danny Trejo and Laurence Fishburne! If you have not seen this one, you should.

Besides the big screen, Predator also has hunted its way into the video game world and has had many titles come out on many different systems! Commadore 64, Nintendo Entertainment System, Super Nintendo, Game Boy, Sega Genesis, Xbox, PS2, Xbox 360, PS3 and even Atari Jaguar all have had games come out that featured The Predator. In fact, even an Arcade Game has been made! The one that sticks out the most to me was the one for Sega Genesis based on the film Predator 2. My cousins Dino and Norman had it, and we all took turns one night when I was spending the night trying our best to beat it. The game was pretty hard and was an overhead shoot em up game that as levels went on, the harder it became and of course you played as Harrigan. One of the most popular games based on Predator is the one that came out on PS2 and Xbox called “Predator: Concrete Jungle” where you play as the hunter and kill humans! Predator has been in some good games and some stinker games, but one thing is for sure, The Predator is a perfect character to make video games based around.

Predator has had more merchandise than just video games, comics and novels. Many great items have come out based around this character, from Halloween masks & costumes, t-shirts, posters, magazines, models, statues and of course action figures! The figures that most people remember are the ones made by Kenner in the 90’s. They made all types of versions, from the classic movie style one to ones with giant tusk. I had a few of these figures growing up and while they were cool, I always wanted a 3 ¾” figure…sadly that never happened until this year thanks to the ReAction figure line. Lost more figures were made by NECA and McFarlane, and these were great detailed figures meant for display on the older collectors’ shelves. So if you’re a fan of the character and looking for ways to collect all you can own, there is stuff out there for you that will for sure make the collector in you very happy.

Something else I would like to talk about before we get into the comic reviews are the soundtracks for the three Predator films and how great they are. The first two scores are done by Alan Silvestri, who was know for doing scores for films like Back To The Future, Cats Eye and Delta Force before doing Predator 1-2. His scores for the two films are a nice mix of action and sci-fi and the main theme to Predator always seems to get stuck in my head when I am outside in the woods! The score to Predators was done by John Debney who did scores for such films as The Jetsons Movies, Sudden Death, Spy Kids, End of Days and Sin City before tackling this film. While it’s a great score, it’s not nearly as epic as the first films. And as I am sure you all guessed that I do play some tracks off Predator 2’s soundtrack on Alpha Rhythms. If you’re a score listener like myself give them a listen, you might just like what you hear.

So far we have visited Roswell, New Mexico, made a pit stop at Area 51, took a look at the frantic Area 51 caller and broke down The Predator in films, music and other media and we still have the comic reviews to go! So as always I want to remind everyone once again I grade these on a standard 1-4 star rating and am looking at how well the comic keeps to the source material, its entertainment value, its art and story. So let’s get ready to get hunted as we enter the hunting zone, looking for the ultimate trophy hunter, The Predator. Also thanks to Lone Star Comics for having these issues in stock.

Predator # 1 **1/2
Released in 1989 Cover Price $2.25 Dark Horse #1 of 4

Detective Schaefer has a bad feeling about his city of New York, and when he enters the scene of a crime and finds two rival gangs both slaughtered like sheep his gut feeling seems to be right! The only survivor of the slaughter was a gang leader named Carr who escaped into the night. Things get worse when a train is attacked and victims are killed the same way as the gang members. During an investigation Schaefer gets a visit from an army general who tells him to let the murders run their course and that after the heat wave is over the murders will stop. He also tells him that his brother Dutch also knew about these killers. After the visit, Schaefer and his partner Rasche go back to the scene of the crime were the gang was killed, and Schaefer comes face to face with a Predator who flings him out the window, ending issue one.

It’s a very cool tie in to the original film with Schaefer being the brother of Dutch, Arnold’s character from the first film. Schaefer is alright so far, but he doesn’t really have a personality. He seems to do what he wants to do and doesn’t listen to the rules of his department, and he also seems to have some weird second sight for the strange and unknown. Rasche, his partner, seems to be more likable and is a family man who seems to respect his partner of 6 years but also doesn’t know a damn thing about him! Looks like Carr is a gang leader who is your typical street punk straight from a cheesy Hollywood film complete with red make up slashes on his face. I feel like he is going to be a major problem coming up in future issues. The Predator is the main “bad guy” of the issue and only really makes his appearance at the end as he beats the hell out of Schaefer and flings him out the window! I am a little puzzled about this Predator’s killing pattern as he seems to just be killing at random in the city. This issue also has way too many moments that feel like they read the script for Predator 2 and crammed them into the story, from the attack on the subway to the attack on rival gangs. The art in the issue is that classic Dark Horse style and is done by Chris Warner and looks pretty dang good for the time. Over all this issue is really the start of the mini series and while a little slow and disjointed, it was still a good read and makes me want to read part 2 ad see what happens to Schaefer. So let’s not wait any longer.

Predator # 2 **1/2
Released in 1989 Cover Price $2.25 Dark Horse #2 of 4

Schaefer’s fall from the window five stories up leaves him banged up and in the hospital. His stay is short as he checks himself out and stays on the couch of Rasche and his family. On Schaefer’s neck, The Predator has placed a tracker, an almost tag of some sorts so that he can track him at anytime. Schaefer goes to South America to the last place that his brother Dutch was seen, and while in the jungle along with his guide, they find a giant hole that was where the original Predator blew himself up. At night Schaefer is attacked once more by the Predator, and this time Schaefer wins knocking the alien from a cliff and impaling him on a sharp stone. In the end the guide is shown to be working for the military general who is pissed that Schaefer killed The Predator and is now preparing for total payback.

This second issue is filled with action and takes away the city back drop placing the fight in the jungle were it all started. Schaefer is more bull headed after getting his butt kicked and shows he is not to be messed with as he takes down a Predator with strategy and anger. So one Predator is killed, and this makes you wonder why the general is so freaked out by its death. Was this one special or do they just know it means war when they suffer a loss to their numbers? The action in this issue is pure 80’s action with lots of gunplay and fists are thrown making it feel right at home with other action/horror themed comics of the time. I do really like the jungle setting better than the streets of New York, it just has more of a mood to it. Rasche in this issue stays in New York and is told to get his family out of New York by Schaefer. So I am thinking the next issue will be what’s going on in the Big Apple. Chris Warner does the art again, and it’s so 90’s. It’s good and the cover is so in your face. So far at the midway point in this series, it’s a pretty good film inspired series and holds some of the charm of the films. So let’s see how issue 3 turns up the heat, shall we?

Predator # 3 **1/2
Released in 1989 Cover Price $2.25 Dark Horse #3 of 4

Schaefer in the jungle finds that he has pissed off the government for killing the Predator and is now being lead to the general, but he and his guide are ambushed by henchmen for a drug lord Schaefer pissed off some time ago in New York. While the guide is killed, Schaefer is kidnapped and set to be tortured, but he escapes and finds that an army of Predators have followed him and make short work of the drug cartel as the general comes to his rescue and leads him to a helicopter that will lead him straight to The Predators as a payment for their fallen friend. The meeting place is New York. Schaefer isn’t having it and knocks out the general, and when they land he is ready for a fight. While in New York, his partner Rasche finds that the city is being hovered over by Predator war ships, and this puts him at odds with the chief. At one point he is even kidnapped by unknown government agents but escapes when he finds they plan on turning over Schaefer to them. In the end both detectives are on a path to have a show down with their alien hunters.

This issue is a mix of jungle and city action, and it works to build up the final showdown of Schaefer and The Predators in the middle of the busy city. One of the best parts of this issue is the Predators attacking and killing the drug cartel in order to get to Schaefer. Those dope pushers didn’t stand a chance! This issue also shows that the military and the government knows about the Predators and almost seem to fear them, and will do anything to make the situation right with them after one of their own was murdered. Rasche, poor, poor man gets kidnapped by some agents. His own boss at the department turns on him by ratting him out, and he knows that the Predators are all over and that they plan on giving his partner over to them! This issue is a nice build up to the final where you know all hell is going to break loose. It still makes me wonder will we see a cameo from Dutch? Warner art once more, and the cover is great as you all can see. So without any more hold ups, let’s get to the final issue of The Predator by Dark Horse comics.

Predator # 4 **1/2
Released in 1990 Cover Price $2.25 Dark Horse #4 of 4

Schaefer has escaped the army, and he and Rasche meet up and plan for war against the Predators! They know they can’t get the help of the police or the army, so they do what they have to do and recruit Carr and other thugs to help them go to war, and war does happen in the middle of New York! The Predators have ground fighters as well as their space ships, and all looks bleak for Schaefer and his rag tag army until the army shows up and are ready now to fight off The Predator invasion. The war is heating up, and many lives are cut short but as quick as the fighting started, it stops as the Predators no longer see this as a hunt as much as a fight. This makes them leave the Earth…for now!

To be honest, the final war was a let down, and what was built up to be epic, came off a little rushed and very anti-climatic. Schaefer barely is able to get his fist wet with green blood before they just up and leave due to “the hunt” being taken out of the fight. In fact nothing really gets settled in this mini series as a part of New York is left destroyed. Carr helps, and I guess, escapes. Schaefer never finds out what happened to Dutch. Rasche rambles about quitting the force after he is shot, and the army, who come to the aid of the cops, just let them walk away after a major battle. It all seems like so many questions get no real answers. Rasche and Schaefer, while cool characters, for 4 issues I never really felt a connection to them and really didn’t learn much about each of them. The Predators seem a little off. Many of them take a pounding by the fists of Schaefer, and that’s not believable because according to the source material, the films, they are 10 times stronger than a human male. The comic series has blood but not a heck of a lot. The action is fun and very 80’s like. The art was well done and once more has that pure 90’s Dark Horse style to it. Over all this was an okay mini series based on a good action sci-fi film. While not groundbreaking so far on Rotten Ink I would say it’s in good company with the likes of Dr. Giggles and Pumpkinhead. Fans of this film series should check it out if they go in knowing it has some flaws but was made for the fans.

It was really neat to see what comic book creators were able to do thanks to 20^th Century Fox allowing them to make this almost sequel-like mini series. The writers did the best they could to tie in the original film, making the main hero the brother of the hero of the film, but as I stated the sad part is that goes nowhere. But I feel we are not done yet so let’s get into a fantasy warfare as we pit the Predator against the great stuntman of the last update, the Cougar! The setting will be the hot summer month of July and take place on the 4^th. The setting is a movie set for a new John Smith film for Independent B Movie in the swamp lands of Louisiana. So let’s see what happens in the battle of the minds and wills of these two champions as the Predator takes on the Cougar!

It’s around noon, and John Smith has called it a wrap for the day’s filming of his epic new film “Werewolf of the Bayou.” Most of the crew are heading into town for some beers and gumbo while they wait for the night’s fireworks. John walks up to the two stunt men for the film, Jeff “The Cougar” Rand and Bela Chaney, who are putting props away and discussing the next day’s big cabin on fire stunt, and lets them know he is heading into town himself to sit back and watch Morgus The Magnificent on TV host the 1931 Dracula and order room service and relax after the long morning shoot. They wish him well, and after his 95 Cavalier pulls away, Bela turns on the radio that’s playing classic rock and tells Jeff he wants to show him the prop that will be used to kill The Wolfman in this film. Bela pulls a giant silver and red handgun out of a case and fires a fake bullet into the air. As they both chuckle, three read lines appear on Bela’s chest and in the blink of an eye a loud noise is heard, and the stuntman’s chest now has a big whole through it! The Cougar swings into action and like in his youth he swings on the vines as blasts of a large cannon go off all around him. He swings by the prop van again and dives inside. The Predator, who is invisible, waits for a few moments and The Cougar never comes out. So he decides to go in after him. As the Predator makes his way towards the van, the tension is so thick you can cut it with a knife. As he creeps up on the van The Cougar jumps out wearing night goggles and holding a sword and slashes The Predator across his stomach causing green blood to spill onto the ground. As Cougar swings again Predator retracts his arm blades and blocks the strike! By this time The Predator becomes visible, but the sight of the alien doesn’t even phase Cougar who has fought a vampire and werewolf before this. The two trade swings with their blades and neither land a strike. The Cougar throws away his sword and holds up his fist and wants to fight man to alien. The Predator takes off his shoulder cannon and his masks and lets out a roar as Cougar leaps into the air and lands a superman punch to the alien’s jaw. The Predator shakes it off and lands a straight right to the face of the Cougar shattering his nose and breaking the stuntman’s jaw and causing him to fall to his knees and choke on his own blood, The Predator knows his foe is down and walks over and rips out the spin and skull of The Cougar ending the fight. That night on the Predators ship a new skull is placed in his trophy case and that skull belonged to a cocky stuntman who thought he could out box an alien.

Winner: The Predator

While I think The Cougar could dodge and survive for a while, I truly think the Predator’s weapons and cunning hunting style would overwhelm him after a while, and this would lead to the stuntman’s death. This was a fun update, and I really enjoyed reading The Predator mini series for the first time. I also liked writing a little about U.F.O.’s and all the unknown that surround them. The next alien invasion spotlight will be another Dark Horse mini series as we will look at their 6 issue run based on the Alien series! For our next update, we are heading into the past and taking a look at a Jack Kirby original named Devil Dinosaur! So until then look to the sky, read a comic or two, watch a movie and support your local Horror Host!